Reflections on Ch. 9: The Worlds of Islam

I had no idea that as many as “22% of the world’s population identified as Muslims” at the beginning of this century and that they “identified their own God, Allah, with Yahweh, the Jewish High God.”

Well, the book says that “the Quran demanded social justice," but in today’s world, extremists have taken this doctrine to the nth degree.  As the book states on page 411, attacks have “signaled the growing role of Islamic civilization in world affairs.”  Unfortunately, Americans are all too aware of the negative connotations.

These pillars of Islam are way too out there for this cowpoke.  A month of fasting?  How can one even stand up without sustenance for a solid month?

For someone who preaches “spiritual striving”, suppressing turncoat Jews by exile, enslavement, or murder is nothing short of contradictory in my book.

Seemingly, Muhammad had a captive audience, just like Hitler did in Nazi Germany.

I see contradiction in the brotherhood and no superiority themes posed on page 418 because of so much violence in today’s world.

Wow – the Arab armies just rode in and pretty much swept up Asia and Europe.  Were people really that weakened to let themselves get swept away by a foreign invasion?

Honestly, can’t people just get along?  These caliphs end up dividing people instead of uniting them, and then they roll right into a civil war.

I have heard of the Sunni / Shia people but never had an understanding of what this meant, so now I know.

How many offshoots of one religion can people create?  It is almost like a game:  Sunni, Shia, Sufis.  Maybe they should all just sit down together and enjoy some sushi and sake.

Yeah, I was waiting for this one:  in spiritual life, men and women were equal.  Then, you turn the page and get the big BUT.  “In social terms, and especially within marriage, . . . viewed women as inferior and subordinate.”  Of course, they did!

A separate bridge for women – that is hilarious!  This one is even better:  if a woman has to answer a knock on the door while she is using a pestle, she must stick her finger in her mouth to sound like an old lady!  Then they turn around and put equal blame on sin for both Adam and Eve just to level things out a bit.

I would hardly call Muslim egalitarian as stated at the bottom of p. 428.

“Massacres, enslavement, famine, and flight led to a sharp drop in the population” of Anatolia.  Sheez, I should think so!

Here is a nice change of pace:  Islam’s acceptance was “largely peaceful and voluntary” in West Africa.